On Staying Open In The Close Season (& footy poets taking break)
we’re staying open In the long close season
staying open to the earth and sky
staying fluffy when the going gets roughy
staying in touch while the days go bys
grabbing the only four days of summer
grabbing them all as fast as we can
and we’re not jealous of the ones out training
it feels like yesterday the world cup began
taking our time til the time takes over
taking our time and hey wwe;ll survive
not just in love with sweet fotball
we’re just in love with being alive
we’re switching oof from the transfer wrangles
we’re switching off as its bottoming out
we all knew they’d be tightening purses
buit some big players can’t afford to go out.
we’re switching off from the tabloid circus
no back pages and tele for me
we’re in the open taking in nature
free as the wind and the wind cannot read
we’re staying open to other sweet moments
sweet summer festivals and swims in the sea
poems on a long beach under the stars
poems in the garden with friends round for tea
poems in traffic jams stuck in hot cars
poems on anything – the planet to life
not long to go now – i know you know now
but hey don’t worry guys we will survive..
keep on writing now – keep on dreaming
keep on freeing those deep deep words
freedom through football – worldwide freedom
freedom thru one think linking the earth*
freedom from fixtures and freedon from big brother
freedom from mobiles – “you’re cracking up a bit?”
fredom from it all – so for now- that’s it
*except america -you soccer guys you.
YOU’RE GOING HOME IN PADS AND A HELMET…..
you would not believe how many american football poems we get sent that we don’t put up on the site (aren’t we BRUTAL?)
BUT.. out of our quest 4 freedom thru FOOTBALL poetry. (and we mean a la Beckham,Zola,South Korea and Forest Green Rovers) NOT a la the 49er or whatever we keep putting signs up if we go over there too ..there’s one in mad dog on haight st san fran.. and one in inverness california…and i think stuart put one up in a museum ?. so to re-iterate please please please…no american footbal poems on this site please..HEY TIME OUT GUYS.. why NOT create your’e site.. hey america be cool…
cos WE DID WE DID.
have a great summer…time out for us too seeyas in august
About This Site
Welcome to Football Poets -- a club for all football poets, lovers of football and lovers of (alternative) poetry. Discover poets in every league from respected internationals at the top of their game to young hopefuls in the school playground.
Publish your football poems here and then discuss them with your team mates and fans. We're archived by The British Library, so your masterpieces are in the safe hands of a world-class keeper. What a result!
My Account
Latest Poems
John Gilbert Ellis
28th November 2024
joe morris
26th November 2024
Denys E. W. Jones
26th November 2024
Gacina Bozidar
26th November 2024
Wynn Wheldon
26th November 2024
joe morris
17th November 2024
Crispin Thomas
17th November 2024
kevin halls
10th November 2024
joe morris
10th November 2024
Clik The Mouse
10th November 2024
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
27th November 2024 at 5:55 am
‘You’re Supposed To Be At Home’ is an excellent and moving poem Denys.
You start off thinking it’s just about another oft-sung chant, one we personally heard a lot last season throughout our second relegation in a row here at Forest Green(FGR) ! I always love poems where you think they are saying one thing and then they suddenly pull you deeper to somewhere or something else else.
I’m currently helping in a local school for FGR in a voluntary capacity using football to help young students with reading. At an upcoming session we will tackle racism, just like we did in workshops at football schools and grounds when we first started this site 24 years ago. I’m gonna try and weave your poem into a session.
We’ve added it to the Anti- Racism/Kick It Out section under Crispin’s Corner.
Best C
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26th November 2024 at 1:59 pm
Great poem and great to see you back Wyn.
Don’t leave it so long next time my friend!
More please.
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13th September 2024 at 6:14 pm
Welcome to Football Poets Beth
Great evocative poem Beth….
More please !
Haiku always welcome.
Hope we (FGR) get to play you again soon
Best
Crispin
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26th July 2024 at 6:25 pm
Great poem Mike Bartram. Eddie was a legend, affectionately known in Liverpool as, “the first hooligan.” Even the hoolies were well dressed in those days. The amazing thing was he was only 26 when that picture was taken. He’d played for Everton youth team and was well known to the players. He never got arrested. They threw him out and he climbed back in, just in time for Derek Temples winner.
I used the picture of him being tackled to the ground on the front cover of my book, “Once Upon a rhyme in Football.” It’s worth looking on youtube and finding the re-enactment of the Wembley scene. Frank Skinner and Baddiel went around to Eddies home in the 1990’s and acted it out on the green outside. It’s hilarious, especially all the effort they put in to get Eddie sober enough to shoot the scene.
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10th July 2024 at 6:07 pm
Hi Crispin,
I don’t know if you’ve see the picture in social media today…
a picture of a teenage Lionel Messi cradling a baby in Africa as part of a photoshoot…. the family had won a lottery to have their baby pictured with him….
the photographer has just revealed that the baby is actually in fact Lamine Yamal!!!!
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26th May 2024 at 2:30 pm
Hi Denys…
Re Man City:
OK it was 20 years ago but Criag Wilson did write this and a few others on them back in 04/05.
BTW I’m more Forest Green Rover since 2014 (and Chelsea) these days . I drum and am a standing season ticket holder .
Best
Crispin
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29th April 2024 at 2:47 pm
Hi Denys,
Yes Richard Williams you’re a brilliant wordsmith, my friend. When I first saw your football poetry I thought it was the superb Guardian sports and music writer. I once had the honour of sitting next to Richard Williams while at the Independent on the sports desk. He writes about music and sport with immense knowledge and authority. I’ve read a couple of Richard’s books recently. Great writer rather like you Richard Williams the Pompey fan. Congratulations on promotion.
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28th April 2024 at 5:59 pm
Thanks Denys. Yes your replay poem was superb.
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26th April 2024 at 4:46 pm
Nice work, Joe. You were quick off the mark with that! Good one from Richard Williams too I see.
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25th April 2024 at 7:33 pm
Hi Denys,
Thanks mate. I’ll do it now.
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